Why People Think You’re Smart

That being said, while it’s certainly tempting to worry about how others see you, it’s probably more beneficial to just keep working on broadening your knowledge every day.

Still, it can be helpful — not to mention a bit of an ego boost — to know when others perceive you as intelligent.

Here are several signs that you might be viewed as the smartest person in the room:

1. You don’t go around broadcasting how brainy you think you are

A dash of humility is crucial. Ever notice how smart folks tend to underestimate their competence, while idiots tend to inflate it? Well, it’s an actual phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.

So if you’re going around spouting off about how smart you are, prepare to be met with skepticism.

2. You don’t drink in front of others

Unsurprisingly, people tend to look dumber when they’re seen holding a glass of alcohol. There’s actual research to back this up — one study published in the “Journal of Consumer Psychology” found that “people who hold an alcoholic beverage are perceived to be less intelligent than those who do not.”

So if your coworkers never see you sloshing around with a tankard of mead (or whatever your poison is), they might regard you as a bit smarter than average.